Together At The End
by Alexis1
Summary: Angel can't let go of her so he lets go of something else.


Together At The End  
  
Disclaimer: I now state I do not own any of the people mentioned in this fan fic (though I'm welcome to offers David!) This is purely for entertainment.   
  
Rating: If you're old enough to watch the show you can read this.  
  
Author's note: Angel lets go.  
  
This is not happening. They're just not at the hotel.   
The pile of dust downstairs is just plain old dust not the remains of Dru.   
Wesley is not slumped over the desk after his blood has been drained.  
Gunn is not outside the door, lying across the stairs.   
The pile of dust beside my bed is not the woman who made me.   
Cordelia is just sleeping beside me. She's fine, just asleep. The visions really take it out of her.   
It was so quick. We didn't stand a chance. They burst in and Dru went straight for Wesley. Darla grabbed me along with a couple of warrior demons.   
  
"Don't be scared. I have plans for you darling." She crooned.   
They made me watch. Watch, as Wesley slowly became weaker and weaker before he collapsed forward and Dru wiped her mouth.  
"I can taste England."  
"Not for long!" Gunn yelled before plunging a stake in her from behind.   
"Oh well."   
She exploded in a cloud of dust and in the confusion I managed to loosen Darla's hold and run up to Cordelia, who was sleeping in my room with Gunn in close pursuit.   
But she caught him and cracked his head against the door frame. I tried to stop her. But it was too late.   
I pushed a sleepy Cordelia behind me and tried to keep her safe.   
But Darla…was ruthless. They had planned it. Her and Wolfram and Hart.   
The demons grabbed me and Darla tied her to the bedpost.   
She poured holy water down my throat. God it hurt. But I tried to keep it together. I did. You have to believe me.  
"Cordelia, you can stop this. All you've got to do is become one of us. You have a gift we treasure. Help us and I'll spare him. Don't and…well. You'll have nobody. All alone because nobody loves you. You'll be back to being the worthless tramp you used to be. The tramp you are now."  
"Don't."   
I was trying to tell her to keep herself safe. It doesn't matter if I die.   
"I'll do it."   
"Clever girl!"  
A woman walked in. She was tall and…it doesn't matter anymore.   
But she pushed something into the back of her neck. I tried to get free but they wouldn't let go they were so much stronger.   
She was screaming and screaming.   
Darla laughed. She wouldn't stop.   
The ugly things that were holding me thought that they could loosen their grip, that I'd lost my fight. I hadn't.   
I fought them and won. They ended up disappearing into thin air after I broke their necks.   
Darla turned around.   
"Too late, my darling boy. She'd going to die. That thing Nursie put into her? It's a capsule of pure slayers blood. Its amazing how easy it is to get prisoners blood when you have representation as good as W&H. As soon as it reaches her brain, she's dead. Overload."  
I didn't let her finish. I staked her and the other woman ran. But she wasn't important.  
I bent down to Cordelia and tried to pick her up, to take her to hospital. She wouldn't let me.  
"Angel…it's too late. Please just let me die here."   
She was begging me.   
So I lay down next to her and held her real tight.   
"Now I'm dying you choose to show emotion!"   
"You are not dying. You're just tired. Your going to sleep, then tomorrow your going to wake up and I'll make you, Wesley and Gunn some scrambled eggs. Then we'll research and I'll nap."  
"Yeah."   
Her voice was getting fainter.  
"And then I'll ring Willow and find out what's happening in Sunnydale." She grinned, holding onto my shirt, fisting it in her hand.  
"And in the evening we'll take a break and we'll go to the movies or something."  
She screamed. It was starting to happen.   
I grabbed a piece of paper and that's what I'm writing now.   
She's in a lot of pain.  
"I'm so scared Angel."  
"Its gonna be OK. I'm not gonna leave you."  
She tried to shake her head. She wants me to live.   
But I can't. Not without them. They are the people that mean most to me and I can't fight without them.   
I'm lying next to her and holding her with one arm. I've already written your address on it Giles so when the police find me and her they'll give you this.   
Tell everybody to keep going. You have to win the coming battles. Tell Buffy to take care and be safe. Tell her I love her. Tell her I'll never forget.   
Almost done. Make sure all three of them get a proper funeral. Sell all my things to raise money if you have too.   
I'm going to finish soon. I have a vial of the drug the mayor tried to kill me with. As soon as she leaves me I'll take it. I might turn to dust I might not. If I don't then keep me close to her. Bury me near her. She's the one person who's stayed with me, through everything. I'm sorry for giving up but its to hard to live without her. I tried it with Buffy and it almost killed me. I can't do it with Cordelia.   
She's calming now. The drug is taking effect. I need to hold her to me tighter so she knows I'm still here.   
So this is goodbye.   
  
Angel  
  
****************************************  
  
Giles finished reading the letter and wiped away the tears that had gathered.   
Buffy was sitting numbly while the others sobbed quietly.   
Anya was practically holding up Xander, as was Tara to Willow.   
Dawn had tears running down her cheeks.  
"Bloody hell!" Spike growled before smashing Giles' coffee table with his fist. Dawn touched his shoulder and he put his head in his hands.   
"We need to start arranging things. Cordelia's parents will go along with what we do. And Wesley doesn't- didn't have any family to contact. We'll bury them in a communal plot. They…they need to be together." Buffy started to plan.   
"I'm sorry Buffy." Giles said softly.  
She shook her head.   
"We just have to be strong. They would want us to carry on fighting. Let's just, just get on with things."  
She didn't get any further before she burst into tears. Giles reached out and hugged her fiercely, like the daughter she was to him.  
"They were together at the end. They didn't die alone." Anya soothed, for once getting it right.  
  
****************************  
  
"Angel, they look so sad." Cordelia whispered. She was perched on a white iron bench.  
"They'll be OK." The man in question answered, sitting next to her.   
"Giles will take care of them." Wesley agreed, placing his hand on her shoulder.   
"And that Spike guy looks pretty fierce." Gunn grinned.  
"He should be. I trained him." Angel informed him.  
"Excuse me." A Irish voice said, interrupting with a small cough.   
"Doyle!" Cordelia squealed, jumping up and hugging him.   
"Hey Princess. How ya doing Angel?" Doyle asked, clapping him on the back.   
"Good. Well as good as I can be being dead. But then I was dead before…"  
"Angel."   
"What?"  
"You're rambling." Cordelia smirked.  
"Sorry."  
"Who are these two?"  
"Well the one with the flat hair is Wesley and the one with no hair is Gunn."  
"Thank you Cordelia. I believe you were the Seer before Cordelia?"  
"That's me."  
"Hey man." Gunn added.  
They two men shook hands.   
"Enough of the chitter chatter. I've come to take you to Heaven."   
"Even me?" Angel murmured looking at the ground.   
Cordelia reached for his hand and squeezed it gently.   
"If he's not in then neither am I. He stayed with me until the end, so I'm sticking with him." She said, staring at Doyle defiantly.   
"Cordelia, there is no need for you to punish yourself go with Doyle. You deserve it."  
"No. Way. You're not getting rid of m just because we're dead buster!"  
"Steady on! Yes Angel, even you. You've earned your place." Doyle managed to get in before the two started again.   
"So what are we waiting for. I need to cruise for some chicks!" Gunn laughed.  
"Lets go."   
With that Doyle grabbed Cordelia's other hand and Wesley and Gunn touched each of her shoulders.   
"We made it Angel." She whispered.  
"We did." He replied.   
"Any regrets? About coming with us?"   
"Not one. I need you. And here I have you."   
Cordelia smiled and for the second time in his unlife he knew perfect happiness.   
He had his friends and he was in heaven. They finally deemed him worthy. He realised he was right to let go. For her. For them. For himself. 


End file.
